More

Top Free Tours In Philadelphia

April 17, 2014 9:00 AM

(Independence Mall. File photo by Jim Melwert)

Visiting a major metropolitan area usually requires a steady flow of cash. Philadelphia does offer a number of options for those on a limited budget – including plenty of free options. Many of the museums offer special free days or hours and there are a number of tour options that won’t cost you a dime. So if you’re feeling thrifty, check out these fun and educational activities offered in the city.

To find the best places in a new city, it’s best to ask a local. Free and Friendly Tours is run by two people who know the importance of local feedback when visiting a new place. This company offers free tours of Philadelphia and showcases the things that make the city stand out. Tour guides are locals who have opinions about the best the city has to offer. Whether you are looking for serious history or good eats, Free and Friendly Tours can provide you with a fun experience. If you like the service your tour guide provides, provide a tip to show your appreciation.

A unique “name your own price” philosophy, Free Tours by Foot offers entertaining tours throughout some of Philadelphia’s most interesting neighborhoods. The premise is simple – take a tour and if you enjoy it, pay what you think it was worth. The young tour guides who created Free Tours by Foot believe everyone should be able to enjoy an educational tour at a great price – or free! Free Tours by Foot offers a number of fun tours, including historical, food and ghost tours. If you enjoyed the tour, your guide will graciously accept a tip.

There is much to explore at Independence National Historical Park, from Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell Center to the state-of-the-art exhibits in the Benjamin Franklin Museum. Make sure to take time to explore these sights. See the site where the US Constitution and Declaration of Independence were signed. Discover the story behind the Liberty Bell and how it was cracked. Admission to the Independence National Historic Park is free, but a timed ticket is required for Independence Hall to minimize wait times at the exhibits.

For an experience unlike any other, dial up a Museum Without Walls™: AUDIO tour. Each tour features speakers who are connected to sculpture or art found in the city. These voices include educators, artists, curators, historians and more. Each provides personal and cultural connections to the art – offering insights into the artists and their processes, what the sculptures represent, the history surrounding the works and why the pieces were commissioned. Museum Without Walls™: AUDIO tour are available at more than 60 sculptures throughout Fairmount Park and Center City.

The nation’s only manufacturer of legal tender coinage, the United States Mint has been producing coins since it was established in Philadelphia in 1792. During your self-guided tour of the Philadelphia facility, you will discover the extraordinary history of coin minting and see first-hand current coin design and manufactur­ing processes. Tours cover the present state of coin manufacturing and the history of the Mint. While visiting the Mint, visitors learn about the various stages of the minting process, from design to the coin striking process.

Maddie Wagner is a freelance writer covering all things Philadelphia. Her work can be found on Examiner.com.